Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola names Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer as inspirations: "There is one detail that defines them, it is how hard they work"

Saturday, 24 February 2024 at 23:30

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola named Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer as two of his inspirations. The 53-year-old Spaniard has achieved 37 titles as a coach, including three Champions League titles, two with FC Barcelona and one with the Cityzens.

On the tennis side, the achievements of Nadal and Federer place them in the tennis Olympus. While Nadal has 22 Grand Slam titles, Federer reached 20 in his career, both only surpassed by Novak Djokovic's 24. Together, Nadal and Federer have a total of 195 titles, 64 of them in ATP Masters 1000.

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Praise for the tennis legends came this time from one of the most reputable football coaches currently, and he acknowledged that he admires the hard work of Nadal and Federer to achieve success.

"There is one detail that defines them, it is how hard they work. People believing when you are on top of any sport, it is [due to] talents and skills. But what would define [them] is they work harder than the other ones, they prepare better than the other ones. They are the best," he told Sky Sports.

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For Guardiola, not only the great successes of Nadal and Federer contribute to their greatness, but also their ability to handle defeats calmly and maintain hard work in pursuit of results:

"They are never satisfied and how they accept the bad moments or the defeats like it’s normal in life, in a sport and how to win the games and how they accept they are nervous or they are playing bad, how they come back immediately," he added.

“I think they come because they work harder, they accept that the situation is going to be wrong in certain moments but they know they work harder than the other ones. Mentally, they grow positive to turn around."

Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

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